Hammock-support.



R. F. MEEKS.

. HAMMOGK SUPPORT.

' APPLIUATION FILED .41111.1, 1912.

1,0635461. Patented June 3,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. T. MEEKS. l HAMMOOK SUPPORT.

APPLIOATIQN FILED APB..11912.

.1,063,461 Patented June 3, 1913.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES n I v 47,7? A! ne ROBERT F. MEEKS, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

HAMMOCK-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 1912. Serial No. 687,796.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT F. Miroirs, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Columbus, in the county of Frank-` sition, or knocked down and folded into small compass so that packing, storing, or transportation of the same will be facilitated.

Generally speaking, the primary aim of the invention is to produce a device of the type mentioned that will form a firm support for hammocks, swings and the like and which is capable of withstanding hard usage, and in which the parts are so constructed that adjustments can be readily made, and also to permit the parts to be.

folded into nested engagement when the support is knocked-downllt will be clear that a support possessing the characteristics pointed out abo-ve may be embodied in various forms, one simple and practical example of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of the support as it appears when in use, a hammock being indicated thereon by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the support folded and nesting on the side of one of its base members. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the support when folded. sectional view of an end of the base of the support showing` the manner of attaching the feetto the ends of said base. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of one of the feet of the base. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the manner of adjustably connecting the flexible braces to the end standards.

rlhe improved support for hammocks, swings and the like comprises an elongated base that is composed Of a pair of base mem- F ig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical bers l arranged in spaced parallel relation to provide a housing recess therebetween and are connected at their centers by the combined spacer and rest block 2 that is disposed below and parallel with the plane of the upper longitudinal surfaces of s-aid members, said block 2 having its ends 8 beveled and having vertical recesses 4 centrally disposed in its upper surface and arranged in spaced longitudinal alinement. At their ends, the base members are connected by the spacer and rest blocks 5, said blocks having their lower surfaces in a plane above the lower surfaces of the said members and having their' inner ends 6 beveled. The outer ends of the blocks 5 are so arranged relative to the outer ends of the base members l that a vertical groove 7 is formed in each end of the base. and at each side of said grooves 7, headed lugs Q project laterally from the ends of said base members.

tandards 9 have their lower ends pivotally mounted between the base members l, two standards being provided and these are disposed adjacent the spacer blocks 5. The o lower ends of the standards are beveled as indicated at l0 complemental to the inner beveled ends of said blocks against which the lower ends of the standards abut when swung to positions between the said base members. lWhen in the folded position mentioned in the foregoing, the freeor outer ends of the standards 9 rest on the central space block 2 and the hammock or swing engaging hoo-ks ll that project laterally from the standards enter the recesses 4 of said block as is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. llVhen in the folded position described the standards 9 lie entirely within the space between the two base members l with their upper surfaces flush with the similar surfaces of said members. The standards 9 have the upper ends of struts 12 hinged thereto adjacent the hooks ll. The lower ends of the struts l2 are adapted to be connected to and between the base members l by means of the removable pins 13, such connection being adjustable by selectively engaging the pins with openings of the series of openings 14 that are arranged in longitudinal rows in said members 1. The upper ends of the struts l2 are beveled for engaging the similar ends of the spacer block 2 when t-he said struts are swung in between the members l. When Patented June 3, 1913.

swung to such folded positions, the free ends cf the struts rest on the bottoms of the spacer blocks 5, thus disposing said struts entirely within the space between the two base members 1, the lower surface of the same being flush with the similar surfaces of said base members. As thus described, it will be clear that the standards 9 can be adjusted tovarious upright positions through the manner of a-djustably connecting the struts 12 to the base members 1, and that when knocked-down, or folded, the standards and struts are disposed within the space between said members, the spacer blocks 2 and 5 forming rests for said standards and struts. It will also be clear that the recesses e of the block 2 form simple means for disposing of the hooks 11 so that they will be protected from injury when the support is in a folded condition. To permit the describedv folding operations of the st andards 9 and struts 12, it is necessary that the same be in contact when folded. To accomplish this the type of hinge connections shown in Fig. 3 is employed. Referring to said figure it will be seen that the hinges are in the form of plates 15 that lie within slots 1G fo-rmed in the struts and the said plates have angular extensions 17 that project beyond the struts and enter recesses 18 formed in the standards 9 and are mounted on pivots 19 that extend across said recesses.

The base of the support is prevented from overturning by the elongated feet 20 that extend transversely of each end of said base. The feet 20 are provided with the central, parallel, vertical grooves 21 in which plates 22 are fastened, the plates being provided with kej-hole slots 23. The arrangement of grooves 21 provide the central, vertical dividing tongue 24 between each set of grooves. TWhen assembled, the ends of members 2 enter the grooves 21 and the lugs 8 enter the slots 23, at the same time, the tongues 2-1 enter the grooves 7 formed between the ends o-f the two members 1 so that a firm interlocking engagement is obtained between the feet and base. Obviously, the engagement, or disengagement, of the feet and base is obtained by moving the feet 20.so that the enlarged portions of the slots 23 are in alinement with the lugs 8. As is more clearly sho-wn in Figs. 1 and 2, the feet 20 are enlarged at their centers and slope therefrom on easy, .graceful curves. This imparts ornamentation to the feet and also permits the same to be placed in nested engagement upon the base members when the support is knocked-down, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thereby facilitating packing and storing.

In addition to the struts 12, the standards 9 are further reinforced by the adjustable and flexible braces shown in Fig. 1, said braces being detachable, or separable, so that they will not interfere with the folding of the support. These rear braces include the guideways 25 that are arranged longitudinally en the upper rear portions of the standards 9 and are preferably formed by inturning the longitudinal edges of the plates to form grooves in which slides 2G are movable. rl`he slides are equipped with thumbscrews 2T for locking them in the desired positions. The ends of the guideways 25 are provided with tianges 28 that serve as stops to limit the movements of the slides. Eyes 2t) project laterally from the slides 26 and liave chains, :ables or the like 30 swiveled thereto, the chains diverging from their swivels and having their lower ends adapted for engagen'ient with the hooks 31 that are disposed near the ends of the feet 20. As will be clear, the slides 2G are adjusted according to the positions of the standards t) so that a tension is placed on the chains 30. then the support is to be folded, the chains can be readily released from the hooksI 31.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the improved support firmly braced to withstand the rocking strains incidei'ital to use; that all the braces are of such nature that they can be readily adjusted, and that the same are so connected to the base portions of the support that they can be readily released when it desired to fold the support.

It will be understood that the type of base specitically set forth may be varied, the object in view being to soform the base that the standards and struts maybe entirely housed therein when folded, so that when packed the support will be substantially flat-sided, that is, that'. there are no projections or protuberances andv also, that by housing the standards and struts within the base they are protected from injury.

Having described my invention, what l. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hammock support comprising a base including spaced parallel base members, a combined spacer and rest between and connecting the cent-ral portions of the base meinbers, said spacer and rest being disposed below the plane of the upper surfaces of said members, hammock supporting standards pivotally mounted between the meinbers and adapted to be folded onto the spacer and rest to dispose the standards cntirely within the space between the two members with their upper surfaces flush with the upper surfaces of said members, and means for bracing the standards.

2. A hammock support comprising a base provided with a longitudinal recess forming a housing, hammock supporting staiulards hinged to the ends of the base and adapted to lie entirely within the housing when folded with their upper surfaces Hush with the upper surface of the housing, supporting struts hinged to the standards and adapted to lie entirely within the housing when folded with their lower surfaces iiush with the lower surface of said housing, and detachable means for fastening the struts to the base.

3. A hammock support comprising a base provided with a longitudinal housing, a centrally disposed rest block within the housing and provided with recesses, standards hinged to the base within the housing and adapted to rest on the central block when folded, hammock engaging hooks carried by the standards and adapted to enter the recesses of the block when the standards are folded, and means for bracing the stand ards.

4. A hammock support comprising a base provided with a longitudinal housing, a rest centrally disposed within the housing below the upper surface thereof and provided with beveled ends, end rests within the housing above the lower surface thereof and provided with beveled inner ends, standards hinged within the ends of the housing and having beveled lower ends, said standards being adapted to lie within the housing when folded with their upper surfaces fiush with the upper surface of said housing with their free ends resting on the central rest and their beveled ends in engagement with the beveled ends of the end rests, bracing struts hinged to the standards and adapted to lie on the bottom surface of the end rests when folded with their bottom surfaces flush with the bottom surface of the housing, the struts having beveled upper ends for engagement with the beveled ends of the central rest, and `detachable means for fastening the struts to the base to hold the same in standard supporting positions.

5. A hammock support comprising a base provided with a vertical groove in each end, f

lugs carried by the ends of the base and disposed on opposite sides of the grooves, end feet provided with central grooves having slots therein for the reception of the lugs and tongues for engaging the grooves, and hammock supporting means carried by the base.

6. A hammock support comprising a base including spaced parallel members, a rest block centrally disposed between the members and arranged below the plane of the upper surfaces thereof, rest blocks between the ends of the members and above the plane of the bot-tom surfaces thereof, standards hinged to the members and adapted to be folded onto the upper surface of the central rest with their upper surfaces flush with the upper surfaces of said members, braces hinged to the standards and adapted to be folded onto the bottom surfaces of the end rests with their lower surfaces flush with the lower surfaces of said members, and removable means for fastening the'braces to the base members.

7. A hammock support comprising a base, foldable standards carried thereby, guideways carried by the rear of said standards, slides in said guideways, means for locking the slides to the guideways, flexible bracing means carried by the slides and adapted for engagement with the base, and bracing means for the front of the standards.

8. A hammock support comprising a base, end feet therefor, hammock supporting standards hinged to the base, struts hinged to the front o-f the standards, means for adjustably fastening the struts to the base, slides adjustably connected to the rear of the standards, divergent chains swiveled to the slides, and means for fastening the chains to the feet.

9. A hammock support comprising a base formed of spaced parallel members, spacers inset between the ends of the members, lugs projecting from the ends of the members, end feet provided with grooves for the reception of the ends of the members, slots for the reception of the lugs, and tongues that project between the ends of said members, and hammock supporting means carried by the base.

10. A hammock support comprising a base including spaced parallel members provided with end and central rests therebetween, the end rests being disposed above the planes of the lower surfaces of said members and the central rest being disposed below the plane of the upper surfaces thereof, standards hinged to the members and adapted to be folded onto the upper surface of the central rest with their upper surfaces flush with the upper surfaces of said members, struts hinged to the standards and adapted to be folded onto the bottom surfaces of the end rests with their lower surfaces flush with the lower surfaces of said members, and removable means for fastening the struts to the base.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERTV F. MEEKS.

L. B. BERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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